FERREIRA, Rodrigo Carlos Toscano et al. Ecological assessment of executive functions: an integrative review study. Cad. Pós-Grad. Distúrb. Desenvolv. []. 2021, 21, 1, pp.68-83. ISSN 1519-0307.  https://doi.org/10.5935/cadernosdisturbios.v21n1p68-83.

Ecological validity in the context of neuropsychology refers to the degree of correspondence between an individual's performance on a test and his or her performance in real situations. Executive functions (EF) are defined as a series of cognitive processes that enable individuals to control and regulate their behavior in the face of environmental demands. Recent studies have discussed the validation of the ecological assessment of EF. Therefore, the objective of this integrative review was to analyze the state of the art of publications dealing with ecological assessments of children and adolescents. Among the methodological procedures, seven articles were selected from two databases, PubMed and Scielo, published in the last five years, with the following keywords for the search: avaliação ecológica; funções executivas"; ecological assessment; and executive functions. Among the selected articles, there are the presence and use of tests and tasks was verified as a viable ecological assessment for EF. The results demonstrated potential clinical use as an ecologically valid tool for children and adolescents. It is also worth mentioning the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (Brief) scale that was used in six of the seven articles analyzed in this study. This instrument is a questionnaire for parents, caregivers and teachers and has a high profile in the ecological assessment of EF in children and adolescents. From this review, it was possible to conclude that the ecological assessment of EF seeks to collect information closer to the real environment and, in the studies analyzed here, it presents scientific validation. Therefore, it is important to use it for the assessment of cognitive skills, more specifically in EF.

: Ecological momentary assessment; Executive function; Neuropsychology; Neuropsychological tests.

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